1.1.2 Apply the systems concept on a range of scales
What is it?
-Gaia also known as Gaia theory or Gaia hypothesis, is a concept that the earth is not just a clump of rock and water but a self regulating giant cell capable of adjusting to small and big changes and catastrophes in an intelligent and holistic manner.
-It is a theory that organisms interact with their inorganic surroundings to form a self-regulating system that would contribute to maintain the conditions of life on the planet.
-Gaia hypothesis is a theory first regulated in 1970s by James Lovelock and Lynn Margulis. It proposes that the earth is not a mere big piece of rock with abiotic substances; the earth is a self-regulating, self-sustaining entity that every living creature and abiotic factors cooperate. Gaia hypothesis assumes that the earth is adjusting its environments to support the life in the planet
-Gaia is the idea that organisms influence their abiotic environment, and that environment in turn influences the total amount of organisms. Gaia is about positive and negative feedback.
-The theory of organisms on earth interact with their inorganic surroundings on earth that forms a self regulated, complex systemto keep the world alive.
The gaia hypothesis is the theory that all organisms interact with their inorganic surroundings to form a self regulating system that maintain conditions on our planet.
-SELF-REGULATION OF PLANET - through evolution. Metaphor of World as living organism.
Evidence
Evidence:
-If not continually replaced by biotic activities gases like methane and hydrogen would become non-existant in the atmosphere.
-Carbon dioxide in the earth's atmosphere is far less abundant than chemistry alone would allow. If life was deleted carbon dioxide would become 30 times more abundant.
-The sun's energy output has increased by 30 percent in the past 3.5 million years. Yet historical climate data indicates that the temperature of the earth has only fluctuated by about 5 degree celsius from the current agerage global temperture of 15 celcius.
-extra atmospheric carbon dioxide would have created a greater greenhouse effect and warmer temperture. These result also indicate that some mechanism must have removed carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as the sun's output of radiation increased over the earth geologic history. This created carbon dioxide into fossilzed organic matter.
-One piece of evidence of this theory would be the regulation of the atmosphere. The atmospheric composition has remained fairly constant, providing the conditions that contemporary life has adapted to. All the atmospheric gases present in the atmosphere are either made by organisms or processed by them. The Gaia theory states that Earths atmospheric composition has remained steady by the presence of life.
-Another example would be the ocean salinity. It has remained on a constant 3.5% for a long time. One theory to support this is that small colonies of bacteria on the bottom of the ocean that fix ions and heavy metals during their life process.
-The evidence of Gaia hypothesis is the oxygen rate in the primitive Earth. When the Earth was created, there was absolutely no oxygen in the atmosphere. Then a first photosynthesis took place in 2.5 billions of years ago, there were 21% of oxygen out of the whole atmosphere. If the rate rose to 30%, the earth would have turned into a firing planet like Venus, since every lightning on Earth would lead to fires. However, the earth started with 0% of oxygen to 21%, and then stopped conveniently; it is caused by bacteria that absorb the oxygen to produce methane and carbon dioxide, stabilizing the oxygen rate in the atmosphere. This automatic adjustment of nature is evidence of Gaia hypothesis.
Another example is the global warming. It is said that 4 billions years ago the Sun emitted 25% less heat energy than it does today. Under this condition, the Earth could have become a frozen planet. However, during this period a similar phenomenon with today’s global warming took place, which involved methane, ammonia, and carbon dioxide. This is an automatic temperature control mechanism of the Earth.
Also, the Sun had become hotter than the past; the Earth could sustain its temperature thanks to internal activities. A warmer Earth stimulated greater plankton performance, removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Moreover, as the temperature of the Earth rose, more rain caused more erosion and more nutrient flow to the ocean. This also contributed to plankton growth to further remove carbon dioxide
Evidence: * Discover and analyze a large number of previously hidden interactions between the atmosphere, land and organisms living in Earth's oceans –UMD
Presence of oxygen in atmosphere, evolution of bacteria
Long-term equilibrium between the production of oxygen by green plants, and its consumption by biological and non-living processes
Greenhouse effect
-There was a theory that evolution from early thermo-acido-philic bacteriato oxygen enriched atmosphere that supports complex life. -Evidence of feedback loops to keep balance - e.g. oceans. Increase of CO2 seems to be leading to increase in agal blooms.
-Evidence for gaia hypothesis includes the presence of oxygen (some scientists theorise that in the beginning earth did not have oxygen)
Environmental Worldview
Fits in the ecocentrism value system, because the idea is that everything is part of nature and part of a bigger system
-Gaia is ecocentric with some anthropocentric views. It is based on nature and the organisms working together but also includes humans and how we work with the world
-Provides strong evidence against anthropocentrism. Is ECOCENTRIC.
-The value system that the gaia hypothesis fits best in is ecocentrism because it is a very nature centred point of view.
It also includes the intregation of some spirituality and it looks at earth as one big self-reliant community.
Gaia Hypothesis
1.1.2 Apply the systems concept on a range of scales
What is it?
-Gaia also known as Gaia theory or Gaia hypothesis, is a concept that the earth is not just a clump of rock and water but a self regulating giant cell capable of adjusting to small and big changes and catastrophes in an intelligent and holistic manner.-It is a theory that organisms interact with their inorganic surroundings to form a self-regulating system that would contribute to maintain the conditions of life on the planet.
-Gaia hypothesis is a theory first regulated in 1970s by James Lovelock and Lynn Margulis. It proposes that the earth is not a mere big piece of rock with abiotic substances; the earth is a self-regulating, self-sustaining entity that every living creature and abiotic factors cooperate. Gaia hypothesis assumes that the earth is adjusting its environments to support the life in the planet
-Gaia is the idea that organisms influence their abiotic environment, and that environment in turn influences the total amount of organisms. Gaia is about positive and negative feedback.
-The theory of organisms on earth interact with their inorganic surroundings on earth that forms a self regulated, complex systemto keep the world alive.
The gaia hypothesis is the theory that all organisms interact with their inorganic surroundings to form a self regulating system that maintain conditions on our planet.
-SELF-REGULATION OF PLANET - through evolution. Metaphor of World as living organism.
Evidence
Evidence:-If not continually replaced by biotic activities gases like methane and hydrogen would become non-existant in the atmosphere.
-Carbon dioxide in the earth's atmosphere is far less abundant than chemistry alone would allow. If life was deleted carbon dioxide would become 30 times more abundant.
-The sun's energy output has increased by 30 percent in the past 3.5 million years. Yet historical climate data indicates that the temperature of the earth has only fluctuated by about 5 degree celsius from the current agerage global temperture of 15 celcius.
-extra atmospheric carbon dioxide would have created a greater greenhouse effect and warmer temperture. These result also indicate that some mechanism must have removed carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as the sun's output of radiation increased over the earth geologic history. This created carbon dioxide into fossilzed organic matter.
-One piece of evidence of this theory would be the regulation of the atmosphere. The atmospheric composition has remained fairly constant, providing the conditions that contemporary life has adapted to. All the atmospheric gases present in the atmosphere are either made by organisms or processed by them. The Gaia theory states that Earths atmospheric composition has remained steady by the presence of life.
-Another example would be the ocean salinity. It has remained on a constant 3.5% for a long time. One theory to support this is that small colonies of bacteria on the bottom of the ocean that fix ions and heavy metals during their life process.
-The evidence of Gaia hypothesis is the oxygen rate in the primitive Earth. When the Earth was created, there was absolutely no oxygen in the atmosphere. Then a first photosynthesis took place in 2.5 billions of years ago, there were 21% of oxygen out of the whole atmosphere. If the rate rose to 30%, the earth would have turned into a firing planet like Venus, since every lightning on Earth would lead to fires. However, the earth started with 0% of oxygen to 21%, and then stopped conveniently; it is caused by bacteria that absorb the oxygen to produce methane and carbon dioxide, stabilizing the oxygen rate in the atmosphere. This automatic adjustment of nature is evidence of Gaia hypothesis.
- Another example is the global warming. It is said that 4 billions years ago the Sun emitted 25% less heat energy than it does today. Under this condition, the Earth could have become a frozen planet. However, during this period a similar phenomenon with today’s global warming took place, which involved methane, ammonia, and carbon dioxide. This is an automatic temperature control mechanism of the Earth.
- Also, the Sun had become hotter than the past; the Earth could sustain its temperature thanks to internal activities. A warmer Earth stimulated greater plankton performance, removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Moreover, as the temperature of the Earth rose, more rain caused more erosion and more nutrient flow to the ocean. This also contributed to plankton growth to further remove carbon dioxide
- Evidence: * Discover and analyze a large number of previously hidden interactions between the atmosphere, land and organisms living in Earth's oceans –UMD
- Presence of oxygen in atmosphere, evolution of bacteria
- Long-term equilibrium between the production of oxygen by green plants, and its consumption by biological and non-living processes
- Greenhouse effect
-There was a theory that evolution from early thermo-acido-philic bacteriato oxygen enriched atmosphere that supports complex life. -Evidence of feedback loops to keep balance - e.g. oceans. Increase of CO2 seems to be leading to increase in agal blooms.-Evidence for gaia hypothesis includes the presence of oxygen (some scientists theorise that in the beginning earth did not have oxygen)
Environmental Worldview
Fits in the ecocentrism value system, because the idea is that everything is part of nature and part of a bigger system-Gaia is ecocentric with some anthropocentric views. It is based on nature and the organisms working together but also includes humans and how we work with the world
-Provides strong evidence against anthropocentrism. Is ECOCENTRIC.
-The value system that the gaia hypothesis fits best in is ecocentrism because it is a very nature centred point of view.
It also includes the intregation of some spirituality and it looks at earth as one big self-reliant community.